Coupling for electric train-line circuits.



T. R. BROWN, COUPLING FOR ELECTRIC TRAIN LINE CIRCUITS. APPLICATION FILED APR, 4. |911.

1,292,428u Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. BROWN, OF SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TI'IE WESTINGI-IOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF'WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OE PENN- SYLVANIA.

COUPLING FOR ELECTRIC TRAIN-LINE CIRCUITS.

Application filed April 4, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. BnowN, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and State of New York', have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Couplings for Electric Train-Line Circuits, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to couplings for making electrical connection for the train line circuits between the cars, and has for its object to provide an improved arrangement of contact terminals and movable contacts for the counterpart couplers, which isv of a simple and inexpensive construction, and adapted to be employed more particularly for a limited number of contacts, without the necessity of special switches or contact slides for cross-connecting the circuits.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a combined car and electric coupler embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and showing a portion of the two electric coupler heads coupled together; Fig. 3, a face view of `the electric portion of the coupler with the gasket removed; and Fig. 4, a diagram of the contact terminals. y

According to the construction illustrated in the drawings, the electric portion is shown as mounted in the central part of a carcoupler head of the rigid lock type, in which the coupler heads are provided with hook shaped projections, 5, having laterally inclined surfaces and adapted to engage each other by a laterally inclined movement in the act of coupling, said heads being clamped together by means of the pivoted coupler locks, v6, actuated by springs, 7. Any suitable hand or power operated connections may be employed for releasing the coupler locks.

The contact terminals are. shown in the form of tubular or open ended bushings, 9, moun'ted in corresponding openings formed in a block of insulation, 8, in the coupler head. The contact terminals are preferably located in vertical rows, the middle row, 12, beine' on the center line of the meeting face of the couplers, and the other rows, 13, so arranged that one row or set shall be at the left and the other set at the right of the center line.- Each contact terminal at one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Serial No. 159,802.

side of 'the center is electrically connected with the corresponding -contact terminal on the other side of the center by a bond, 9?, passing through the insulation, whereby said terminals are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the center line, each pair being connected to one of the car line circuits. Each one of the contact terminals of the middle row located on the center line is also electrically connected to its respective car circuit wire.

For the purpose of electrically connecting the respective contact terminals of one coupler with the corresponding contact terminals of a counterpart coupler when the same are coupled together, I provide a carrier, 10, having a plurality of contact plungers, 11, corresponding to the number of contact terminals, 12, on the center line, and the number of cont-act terminals, 13, at one side only of the center line, and in the normal release position extending into the rear or inner ends of said tubular contact terminals, as indicated in Fig. 1, the contact terminals, 18, at the other side of the center line being lett open.

When the counterpart couplers are clamped together with the corresponding tubular Contact terminals in line with each other, the plunger contacts at one side of the center line on one coupler will be opposite the open Contact terminals of the other coupler, as they are facing in opposite directions, and it' will be seen that if either one of the plunger contact carriers is projected into the other coupler, as indicated in Fig. 2, all of the car line circuits on one car will be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits upon the adjoining car.

Any suitable`or preferred means may be employed for projecting and retracting the carrier with the plunger contacts, as for instance a hand lever, 15, mounted on a shaft, 16, having a pinion, 17, engaging a rack, 18, on the carrier, 10. A gasket, 19, may be provided at the meeting face of the electric portion. of the coupler for protecting the contacts from the weather.

When the plunger contacts are withdrawn to the release position, the outer ends of the tubular contact terminals are free to be engaged by ythe plunger of the other coupler, if the same are projected, and by means of electrically connecting the contact terminals in pairs upon opposite sides of the center line, and having each pair connected to one of the car line circuits, the pfro er circuit connections Will always be made: y projecting either one of the contact carriers.

Having noW described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electric train line coupling, the combination of `a casing having a plurality of contact terminals, some located upon the center line of vthe face of the coupler and others on opposite sides of the center line, those on the opposite sides being :arranged in pairs with the contact terminals of each pair electrically connected together7 a movable carrier having centrally located contacts for the center line contact terminals and' side contacts at one side Aof the center for connecting one of each pair of side contact terminals with one terminal of the corresponding pair on the adjoining coupler, and means for projecting the carrier.

2. In an electric train line coupling, the combination With a casing having a plurality of tubular contact terminals located on the center line of the face of the coupler and other tubular contacts on both sides of the center line, the latter contact terminals being arranged in pairs With the terminals of each pair located on opposite sides of the center and electrically connected together, a carrier having plunger contacts extending .through the middle row of tubes and the tubes at one side of the center, and means for projecting said plungers into the corresponding middle roW of tubes and the tubes at the other side of the center on the adjoining coupler.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS R. BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

